Today we talk about the health of our four-legged friends: do they really need the support of vitamins? And which are the most useful for their well-being?
The focus of today's article is the answers to these questions which often confuse owners of puppies and adult dogs who do not know how to manage the issue and therefore choose not to give them any vitamin intake to avoid harming them.
For this reason we want to explain to you the specific role of each vitamin to be given to the animal and understand if they may have any contraindications that should be monitored carefully before starting a treatment.
Let's immediately begin to understand what vitamins for dogs are for and why it is important that they never be missing from their diet.
Why give vitamins to dogs
If it is normal for us humans to supplement our diet with appropriate vitamin supplements, why shouldn't it also be so for our animal friends?
Just as pharmacies or stores are full of shelves of products that contain vitamins, so-called vitamins for dogs can also be found in specific pet shops.
But what are they for?
Just like for humans, these vitamins for dogs help to improve the state of health and are integrated into the diet especially when those naturally contained in the diet are not sufficient to guarantee growth and maintenance.
However, these are not vitamins unknown to man, but represent the same ones that we often stock up on throughout our lives.
What changes is the quantity to be administered, which obviously takes into account both the fact that we are talking about animals and their size and age.
Vitamins for dogs: puppies, adults and seniors
Vitamins, minerals and all other nutrients are essential for animal well-being. So when purchasing your food, it is worth focusing on the labels and understanding which product can provide the maximum of these elements, in order to guarantee a complete and balanced diet.
Naturally, however, these nutritional intakes are different depending on the animal's life stage.
As puppies you have different needs. Attention must be paid to muscle development, growth and immune defenses. Therefore vitamins for growth, but also calcium for bones, must be integrated through food consistently.
Adult dogs need a maintenance diet to stay fit and not accelerate the aging process.
For the elderly dogs the needs are different and joints or vision problems must be monitored (to give significant examples).
It therefore becomes necessary to make a selection of the necessary vitamins, which can help him deal with situations depending on his age and needs.
For this reason, food is not always sufficient and must be integrated with appropriate vitamin supplements depending on existing needs.
Vitamins for dogs: which ones should be given for complete well-being
After understanding animal needs, let's now discover which are the most important vitamins for dogs, whose functions for your dog's health will be explored in more detail:
- Vitamin A
- B vitamins
- C vitamin
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Choline
Here they are, one by one in detail!
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is responsible for the proper functioning of vision. It therefore becomes fundamental in the puppy, to accompany its growth, but it is equally important in adulthood, to guarantee the maintenance and development of other functions. Which? It is used to improve immune responses and cellular functions.
Furthermore, it is also excellent for fetal development and for this reason it is often integrated into the diet of pregnant dogs.
In nature it is found mainly in carrots, but not all dogs like to eat them and consequently this deficiency is remedied with appropriate vitamin A vitamin supplements.
B vitamins
This group includes biotin, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
We already know the importance for man of B vitamins, but what exactly are they for the dog?
Here is the function they play on your dog's health.
- Folic acid plays a primary role in metabolic functions.
- Riboflavin, vitamin B12 and niacin help facilitate enzyme function.
- Vitamin B6 manages the proper functioning of the nervous system and regulates hormonal functions.
- Thiamine and pantothenic acid help regulate energy and carbohydrate metabolism
C vitamin
The antioxidant action that vitamin C has the power to have in the body (human as well as animal) is already an excellent reason not to let your friend miss it.
Especially in older dogs, it is essential to never be deficient in vitamins C because they are able to eliminate free radicals, soothe inflammatory states and slow down aging, especially cognitive.
Vitamin D
As is known, vitamin D is what the Sun gives us with its rays every day. And in the dog? It helps balance minerals such as phosphorus and calcium and therefore presents itself as a panacea for bone growth and joint health.
In practice it is the vitamin that determines the animal's development and muscle building: therefore its vital role is evident also in the form of supplements.
Vitamin E
If you want to protect your four-legged friend, vitamin E must never be missing as a supplement to his usual diet. Why? It seems to be capable of hindering the processes of muscle degeneration, reproductive problems and even vision problems. In a word: counteracts oxidative damage!
Furthermore, it helps metabolize fats and improve cellular functions.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that serves to activate the clotting ability of the dog's blood.
It is very useful (and often saves the animal's life) when rat poison or other chemical substance harmful to animals is ingested which can compromise its vital functions or even lead to death. In fact, it inhibits the poison and defends the body from a fatal reaction or hemorrhagic episodes.
Choline
Choline is a more specific vitamin and with a different function from the previous ones.
In fact it is essential for the cell membrane, for brain and liver functions. It is often prescribed by veterinary doctors to supplement the treatments reserved for epileptic dogs.
How to know which vitamins to supplement?
Another question that often afflicts and confuses those who own a dog is the fear of not recognizing in their animal the need to integrate vitamin supports necessary for its development or its specific needs.
Talking to your trusted vet is certainly the simplest choice. Who knows his needs better than him?
He will be able to tell you whether constant or one-off treatments are needed, and will be able to guide you on the most suitable vitamins for dogs for your case. A medical consultation is important not only for choosing the type of vitamin supplement but also for understanding the most suitable dosage, which must always be commensurate with the age and size of the dog.
This is why we always advise against giving animals the same vitamins that also exist for humans. Sometimes they can contain substances that are not suitable for dogs and therefore cause more or less serious side effects.
What if your four-legged friend needs multiple vitamins at the same time? No problem: there is the possibility of purchasing multivitamin supplements which contain a mix of vitamins and act on multiple fronts.
While if arthrosis problems occur, which are unfortunately very frequent among older dogs, it is advisable to pay more attention to the choice of support to be integrated, as it not only serves to improve well-being, but also to relieve pain and mitigate a disorder that often compromises the animal's mobility.
For this reason we want to focus for a moment on the type of vitamins dedicated to joint problems, a natural remedy sometimes necessary for your well-being.
Specific vitamins for osteoarthritis in dogs
If a dog has osteoarthritis it means he has serious problems with his joints. In fact, it is a disease that attacks the cartilage of the joints, which undergoes such degradation that it slowly flakes off to the point of causing problems in walking in the animal, with painful episodes linked to swelling.
Unfortunately it is a progressive process, but it can be slowed down through appropriate treatments.
The aim is to relieve the pain and allow him to move without difficulty.
Obviously, arthrosis concerns older dogs or those who are more predisposed. In any case, it is a problem that can have different forms and in its lighter variants it can also be easily managed through the use of specific supplements, including vitamins.
When to give vitamins for dogs in case of osteoarthritis
Even if you are not an expert in animal disorders and specifically in osteoarthritis problems, it is not at all difficult to spot the signs of a degenerative process involving the joints.
Look at this list and if, observing your dog, you notice that even just one of these cases occurs, it means that you need to intervene as soon as possible:
- The dog is limping and appears stiffer than normal.
- He doesn't want to climb stairs, not even one step (probably because he feels pain with every movement).
- Play less.
- He doesn't want to jump even during game moments.
- He suffers from unjustified loss of appetite.
- Tends to sleep more than necessary or lie down more than necessary.
- He appears nervous for seemingly no reason.
- He has difficulty urinating.
If these symptoms are continuous and not just sporadic, a check-up and some tests are always better. Starting a course of vitamins can be a good start to a quick recovery. Don't know which ones are most suitable in these cases?
We'll help you! Let's discover together the substances that are necessary and that integrate the action of vitamins in multifunctional compounds that greatly help dogs with arthrosis problems.
Chondroitin
It is a substance that stimulates cartilage repair and reduces pain. Through its integration, mobility also improves and the symptoms that lead to being more sedentary than normal are reduced.
A supplement with chondroitin and vitamin C helps him to reactivate immediately and become more lively again. Obviously these are products for elderly dogs and not suitable for puppies.
Glucosamine
It is a natural substance that is also commonly used for cases of arthritis in humans. Useful for relieving pain, repairing cartilage and acting not only on cases of proven arthrosis which occurs recurrently, but also in predisposed subjects, as a preventive remedy.
The most complete supplements include formulations based on glucosamine, chondroitin and vitamins for dogs for long-term treatments, given the absence of contraindications.
Vitamins for dogs: contraindications?
In most cases, dog vitamins do not have any noticeable side effects. Indeed, being a healthy remedy that helps improve his well-being and state of health, it is necessary to ensure a healthier lifestyle.
But you have to be careful with the dosages. As already mentioned, we should not rely on our experience with vitamin supplements and treat the dog as if it were a human being. An incorrect dosage can have more or less adverse effects on your health.
Any examples? If you overdo it with vitamin A, you may experience joint pain or dehydration.
We immediately reassure you that these are extreme cases, when an excessive quantity is administered or when adult vitamins that are not suitable for dogs are used. But this does not mean that you need to be careful!
So read the labels carefully or alternatively ask your vet.
Does your dog not want to take vitamins? Here's what to do
Usually the format of vitamins for dogs is in palatable capsules to make administration easier.
To make ingestion easier, these capsules are often added to food, but if the dog does not appreciate your attempt to deceive him (even if it is for his own good) you will have to find some tricks to convince him to take the vitamins.
For example, you can crush it and pulverize it so that it mixes well with your food, or if even this doesn't produce results, you can opt for other formats, such as syrups or powdered supplements.
And don't forget the reward if the dog is cooperative and takes his vitamins without fuss!
Our advice? Given the importance of vitamins for dogs at all stages of his life, it would be advisable to get him used to them from an early age!
